Public domain

Seahorses

Katsushika Hokusai · 1822 · color woodcut; blind-stamped; paper

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

Paper envelope with a couple of dried seahorses and box with two beetles. Both beetles and seahorses were seen as a powerful aphrodisiac, but seahorses were also used as an amulet at births. With two poems.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description

Subjects

surimono insects: beetle

Credit lineZeepaardjes. 1822. Katsushika Hokusai. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.

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